Conference Finals Begin Today; Our Predictions

Only four teams remain.  These two series will determine who reaches the Stanley Cup Finals.  Here are mine and Adam's Predictions.


THE WEST:

                 (#1 Seed Canucks)                  (#2 Seed Sharks)


Evan's Prediction: Sharks win in 7.
Adam's Prediction: Sharks win in 6
Our Take: We both figure that the Sharks are simply a stronger team. Carried by the momentum of their series with Detroit, the Sharks are simply better prepared for a tough series with a capable team like Vancouver.

THE EAST:

                  (#3 Seed Bruins)                      (#5 Seed Lightning)

Evan's Prediction: Lightning win in 6.

Adam's Prediction: Bruins win in 6

Our Take:This series could prove to be a battle of the elderly goaltenders. Adam thinks that the Bruins Tim Thomas has the stamina to outlast Tampa's Dwayne Roloson.  The Lightning have offense on their side, but Boston has experience and a grittier defensive core. This will be a great series.

Some Goal Celebration Pics are Better Than Others?

Last night the Boston Bruins eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers in a four game sweep with a 5-1 blowout. Leading the charge was power forward, Milan Lucic, who had two goals and was a plus one on the game. Out of Lucic's offensive playoff breakout came this picture, taken almost immediately post-goal.

Decent photograph. Two B's celebrating with a single greiving Flyer in the background, but it could be closer to Lucic I think...

Improvements after the jump...

Jake's Take: Alexander Ovechkin

Well, it’s May. The sun is shining, the grass is growing and the Capitals are out of the playoffs.

Again.

For about the fifth year in a row.

Reread that a few times to really get the feeling of that. This is the team that has won their conference multiple times. This is the team with Alexander “the Great” Ovechkin and Mike Green. Multiple sources, including Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo’s Hockey blog Puck Daddy, will point the blame at coach Bruce Boudreau and avoid blaming the players.

But guess what?

Boudreau isn’t the one out on the ice. Boudreau can’t force the players to play better. They need to go out and win. Not play to lose, but play to win. Boudreau has an awesome quote to some up the entire Capitals organization.

“I have never seen a bunch of guys look so [expletive] down when something bad happens.”

Every time the Caps start the season, they are on top of the world and chomping at the bit for a Stanely Cup victory. And every time they face the slightest adversity, they fold harder and in a more stunning fashion than the year before. Every player seemingly gives up once the going gets tough. It’s embarrassing. They talk a big game, they win the regular season and that’s it. No guts; no glory. Just another May spent on the golf course or in Russia or wherever. If the organization is looking to fix this problem, they need to address one man.

Alex Ovechkin.

Find out why after the jump...

Washington Chokes on Ovechkins Empty Promise

Tonight the Tampa Bay Lightning did what nobody thought they could do.  They completed a four game sweep of the Washington Capitals.  What makes this sweep taste all the more bitter for Caps fans is the fact that yesterday star forward Alexander Ovechkin promised reporters a series win out of a 3-0 deficit.

 “It’s not over. We don’t give up. We’re gonna win... They win three, we can win three.” 

The Lightning overall outplayed the Caps in every aspect of the series and just seemed to want the wins more than Washington.  The Capitals become the first number one seed since conference playoff format started in 1994 to be swept in first or second rounds.

Also tonight in playoff news, the Bruins increased their series lead over the Flyers to 3-0 with a 5-1 win, and the Sharks won in Detroit in overtime to go up 3 games to none on the Red Wings.

Krejci Gives B's A Commanding Lead

After some confusion, the Bruins have taken a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Philadelphia Flyers.

An Unbelievable Finish; Vancouver Advances

It came down to one final game for the Canucks and Blackhawks.  One game to decide who moves on.  Vancouver won the first three followed by Chicago winning the next three.  Game 7 proved to be no disappointment.

All eyes were on goalie Roberto Luongo as he has proved year after year to be a no-show come playoff.  This year looks to be the same as he had a horrific game 4 and got pulled once again in game 5.  For game 6, Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault turned to backup Cory Schneider.  After losing game 6 as well coach Vigneault went back with Luongo for game 7.  He responded with 31 saves and only 1 goal allowed. 

Sharks Bite Kings in OT; Advance

It was do or die for the Los Angeles Kings last night.  Win and they force a game 7, lose and they're done until October.

Sharks 4 vs. Kings 3 (Overtime)

The game was a constant back and forth battle as both teams traded goals until overtime.  Kyle Wellwood, Jason Demers, and Dany Heatley scored for the Sharks while Justin Williams, Ryan Smyth, and Trevor Lewis scored for Los Angeles in regulation.  In overtime, the Sharks looked to their leaders, and Joe Thornton did not disappoint:

Round 1 Winding Down: Caps Advance

The Washington Capitals defeated the New York Rangers yesterday by a score of 3-1 and go on to win the series 4 games to 1.  The Caps join the Detroit Red wings as the only other team so far to win their series.  Detroit swept Phoenix 4-0.

Playoff Goal of the Year?

In last night's playoff matchup between the Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators, Ducks forward Bobby Ryan would make a nice defensive play which would lead to a spectacular goal.

Here's the move:

Ryan dekes around David Legwand twice and absolutely burns Pekka Rinne to score the go-ahead goal.  Unfortunately for the Ducks, they would lose in overtime.

Andrew Ference Gives Canadiens an All-American Salute

Tonight the much heated Montreal-Boston series continued with an exhilarating 5-4 overtime comeback win for the Bruins. However tomorrow it won't be Michael Ryder's OT goal that the papers will be talking about. Instead it'll be this:

Bad-ass central.

After scoring a huge goal contributing to the comeback, defensive defenseman Andrew Ference simply flipped off the Montreal fanbase. In postgame interviews, Ference, apparently unaware that there are cameras at NHL games, claimed that it wasn't what it looked like and he merely tried to "fist pump"...

Fist pumpin' like a champ?

Right. Ference should expect a fine, but no suspension. I like Ference. He's not a bad guy and he brings a solid defensive game to a team, so its nice to see him score, even if he's such an... impulsive celebrator.

Avoiding the Sweep

There were only two games last night, but neither of them disappointed.  The Canucks were going for the sweep in Chicago, and the Sharks took on the Kings in a thrilling game 3.

Chicago 7 vs. Vancouver 2

(VAN leads series 3-1)

-The Canucks were unable to take game 4 as the Blackhawks proved that they wouldn't go down without a fight.  Chicago got goals from Bryan Bickell, Duncan Keith, Michael Frolik, Brian Campbell, Dave Bolland, and Patrick Sharp in this scrappy game.  

Jake's Take: NHL Playoffs and Predictions

Well folks it’s that time of year. Time for beards to be growing and blood to start flowing. (yes I know it rhymed and I’m damn proud of it.)

Now I know this post is coming a tad bit late, but I plan on giving my insight into the future of the 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

NHL Playoffs Day 2: A Reoccurring Trend

Last nights games concluded all of the game ones in the series.  The games featured two shutouts and a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory. Credit goalies Carey Price and Ryan Miller with the shutouts.  Joe Pavelski scored in overtime for the Sharks.

Montreal 2 vs. Boston 0 (Game 1)

-Montreal was simply too much for Boston to handle as they go on to win 2-0.  Habs captain Brian Gionta netted both goals for Montreal and Carey Price was solid in net as he stopped all 31 shots he faced.  The win snaps Price's 8 game playoff losing streak.

Opening Night of the NHL Playoffs: Goalies Stand Tall

Day one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are in the books.  5 of the 8 series have begun and things are already shaping up to be interesting.  Two goalies, Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, recorded shutouts for their teams. One game ended in with a thrilling overtime finish, and one lower seed defeated the higher seed.